Antirobbery machine



Sept. 15, 1931. M. w. MCMULLENETAL ANTIROBBERY MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmmmmix I 3140M Mow ]Yawrioe mfi/Yallen Harry 1; Hansen I i I I 7.

dmm d Patented Sept. 15, 1931 UNHTEID) PATENT Corsica MAURICE w. MCM'ULLEN, or wermnoo, nnnfinnav'r. HANSEN, or Meson CITY,

- IOWA nnrrnonnnnv MACHINE Application filed December 11, 1930. Serial No. 501,743.

The present invention relates to a protective device for banks and other institutions where moneyand other valuables are stored and handled, and has for an object to provide 5 an apparatus which may be used fon the projection and exploding of tear gas bombs and the like from different points of advantage in the building when the same is invaded by,

which may be electrically controlled and which may be set ofl by cashiers, tellers or other persons located at exposed points with- 5 out any appreciable movement on the parts of the persons so that when they are covered by firearms or the like they are not exposed to danger of life or injury the tripping or setting up of the apparatus.

to provide a tear gas bomb projecting device which may be used in multiple and connected together by an electric circuit, so that any desired number of tear gas bombs may be simul- 25 taneously exploded and projected in the desired direction, and a device which may be made in various sizes to accommodate tear gas bombs of the necessary size to accomplish the protection desired.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of this character which comprises but few parts all of which are simply and economically constructed so that when installed they may be easily hidden from view and will take up but small space.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

' Figure 1 is a front elevation of one of t he 5 tripping or circuit closing devices which is used with the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, the dotted lines showing'liow the circuit may be closed by a slight lifting .of'the toe of the foot.

Another object of the present invention is" Figure 3 is a diagrammatid view of the electric circuits of the device and showing one arrangement of the circuit closers and the bomb projectors.

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal Vertical section taken through one of the bomb ejectors showing a bomb in position and the parts ready for operation upon theclosing of the circuit. 4 R

Figure 5 is a similar view but showing the ejector partly opened for the reception of v a tear gas bomb.

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken through the forward end of the bomb ejector sulstant-ially on the line 6-6 of Figure 4, an

Figure 7 is a similar view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 4.

Referring to the drawings the apparatus comprises a plurality of bomb ejcctors 10, which are adapted to be located at desired points in a building or the like to be pro tected. One side of each bomb ejector 10 is connected by-a wire 11 in an electric circuit which may include one side of a knife switch 12, which leads to one side of a source of elec ytric current 13, such as a battery.

In place of the battery the current may be derived from the main source of electricity with which the building is e nipped by the inter-positioning of a trans ormer or the like if necessary. The other side of the circuit from the battery 13 passes through the knife switch 12 and through a second wire 14, which is connected to one side of each of a pluralityof circuit closers 15. This arrangement is shown to advantage in Figure 3. The other sides of the circuit closers 15 are connected by a wire 16 to the other side of each of the bomb ej ectors 10 so as to complete the circuit. The circuit closers 15 and the bomb ejectors 10 are thus connected in parallel relation in the circuit so that upon the closing of the circuit at any one of the circuit closers 15 all of the bomb ejectors 10 may be operated. i

In Figures 1 and 2 there is shown in detail one of thecircuit closers 15. The circuit closer may be placed as desired in the building, such as beneath the desk or' table of a bank teller or beneath the desk or table of a cashier in the institution handling money or other valuables so that the circuit closer may be adjacent the foot of the teller or cashier. The circuit closer comprises a base board or body portion adapted to be secured against a wall or other vertical support at or near the floor and is provided with a hinged leaf 16 which is shouldered at its inner end adapted to seat against the base board or hold the leaf 16 in substantially horizontal outwardly projecting position, as shown in full lines in Figure 2.

In order to further support the leaf 16 in horizontal position, one or more headed pins 17 may be secured in the floor beneath the outer end of the leaf and provided with springs 18 for engagement beneath the head of the pin 17 to hold it at the desired height and to sustain the weight of the outer end of the leaf. These pins 17 are so located as to admit of the free passage of the toe of the foot in the position beneath the leaf 16 so that when the foot is tilted upwardly on the heel, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, the leaf 16 will be swung upwardly on its hinge.

The base board is provided on its outer face and at a suitable point above the leaf 16 with a knife switch 19 having a pivoted blade 20 arranged to swing upwardly into engagement with spring contacts 21 for closing the switch upon the upward movement of the blade 20. The link 22 is pivotally connected at one end to the upper portion of the switch blade 20 and at its lower end is pivoted to the outer end portion of the leaf 16, so that upward swinging movement of the leaf 16 is communicated to the switch blade 20 for closing the switch.

Referring now to Figures 4 to 7, the bomb ejector comprises an elongated casing or box 23 provided intermediately with a transverse partition 24. The box 23 may preferably be lined with a suitable sound absorbing lining 25. The inner end of the casing 23, at one side ofthe partition 24 is provided with a magnet or solenoid 26 arranged with its axis longitudinally and centrally of the easing 23\ and which is provided with a core rod 27 adapted to be projected forwardly toward the other compartment of the casing when the magnet 26 is energized.

The core rod 27 is mounted slidably in the upstanding arms of abracket 28 suitably secured within the bottom of the casing 23.

An expansion spring 29 surrounds the rear end of the core rod 27, engages at one end against the rear arm of the bracket 28 and In the forward e nd of the casing 23 is dis-- posed a block 31 which may be mounted in the bottom of the casing and which rises upwardly therefrom and is provided therein with a firing pin 32 normally retracted bya spring 33, which is seated in a shouldered recess in the block 31 and which engages at its rear end against a head or flange 34 carried on the rear end of the firing pin 32, the head 34 and the firing pin being disposed in coaxial alinement with the core rod 27.

A spacing sleeve 35 is arranged between the forward side of the partition 24 and the block 33 and is disposed at opposite ends about the rear end of the firing pin 32 and they forward end of the core rod 27 to house these parts and to maintain the parts in proper alinement. The spacing sleeve 35 also maintains the firing pin 32 and the core rod 27 in sufiiciently spaced relation to impart the desired momentum to the core rod 27 prior to its striking the head 34 of the firing pin.

The forward end of the casing 23 is provided with a cartridge chamber 36 which is formed in a bh 3k 37 which may be secured to the front wall 38 of the casing 23, and the front Wall 38 may be secured to a cover 39,

which is hinged at its rear end as at 40 to the casing 23 at or near the upper end of the partition 24. Thus, the upper and forward partsof the casing '23 may be opened by swinging the cover 29 upwardly as shown in Figure 5. The rear end of the chamber 36 1s counter-bored to receive the rim of a cartridge 41 which is adapted tobeinserted inthe chamber 36 from the rear end thereof when the block 37 is raised. The rear end of the block 37 is adapted to seat against the forward end of the block 31 when the cover 39 is closed, and a lug or flange 42 may be provided upon the rear end of the block 37 and is shaped to the configuration of the stationary block 31 so as to properly aline the blocks 31 and 37,.as shown in Figure 4.

In use and operation, the bomb projectors 10 are-suitably located in the building or the like and the circuit closers 15 are also in like manner located at desired points Where they may be quickly and easily operated. desired number of the circuit closers 15 and the bomb projectors 10 may be used.

To load the bomb projectors it is only necessary to raise the cover 39 sufficiently to lift the block 37 free of the block 31 so that a cartridge 41 may be inserted from the rear end into the chamber 36. The cover 39 is now replaced and the cartridge 41 is held in proper position by its cap engaging the front face of the stationary block 31.

When it is desired to discharge the tear gas cartridge or bombs 41 it is only necessary for a teller or cashier or other person adjacent one of the circuit closers, to slightly raise the toe of the foot to bear against the under side of the leaf 16' and swing the latter upwardly into the dotted line position shownin Figure 2. 2 This operation closes the knife switch 19 and completes the circuit from the battery 13 through the Wire 14, through the closed circuit closer 15, Wire 16 and thebranches thereof through the magnets 26 of all of the bomb projectors in the circuit and back through the Wire 11 to the source of electric energy. Each magnet 26 is therefore energized and the core 27 of each magnet is projected forwardly With considerable force and impacts igainst the head 34 of the firing pin 32, Which latter is projected against the rim or cap of the bomb 41 causing the latter to explode and project the tear as from the outer end of the chamber 36. The circuit closer 15 may be )pened by merely swinging the leaf 16' downwardly, such as by pressure of the foot on the upper side of the least so as to draw the pivoted blade 20 away from the spring contacts 21 of the'switch. When this is done the mag- .iets 26 are de-energized so that the springs 29 retract the core rods 26 and the springs 33 retract the firin pins 32. The covers 89 may now be raised so as to Withdraw the empty cartridges 41 and the chambers 36 may then be reloaded so that the parts are in position for subsequent operation after the covers 39 are again closed. 7

OI course, after use the entire system may be tie-energized or cut out of circuit With the main source of power by drawing the switch 12 into open position. i

It is apparent that the chamber 36 in the block 37 may be of any desired size to accom-' modate tear gas projectiles or bombs of the desired size, The sound proof lining in the casings 23 merely deaden the clicking and other noises incident to the operation of the core rod 27, so that no alarm is given prior to the actual projecting'or bursting of the tear gas bombs. t

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention Without departing from the spirit thereof, suchchanges and modifications being'restricted only by the scope of the following claims hat is claimed is v 1. In a protective device for banks and the like having operating means at various stations throughout the bank, a device for releasing tear gas located in the bank and subject to operation by said operating means and comprising a container, separable interfitting blocks in said container, one of said blocks being movable away from the other block block and having a firing chamber therein, a firing pin in the other block, and means in said chamber operated through said operating means for. striking said fir ing pin.

2. In a protective device for banks and the like having operating meansat various stations throughout the bank, a device for releasing tear gas located in the bank and subject to operation'by said operating means comprising a. container, a fixed block in said container, a normally-retracted firing pin in said block, means in said container operated by said'operating means for striking and moving saidfiring pin, a second block in said container having a firing chamber therein for receiving a projectile and holding same in alinement With said firing pin, and a movable cover for the container c arrying said last named block.

3, In a protective device for banks and the like having operatin means at various stations throughout the ank, a device for releasing tear gas located inthe bank and subject to operation by said operating means and comprising a container, a fixed block in the container, a normally retracted firing pin carried by andvmovable through said block, 'a normally retracted rod for striking and moving said firing pin, means controllable by said operating means for moving said rod, a movable block in said container adapted to rest normally at one end against said fixed block and having a firing chamber therein to receive a cartridge With its end exposed to said firing pin, a hinged lid for the container, and a front Wall carried by and movable with said lid and in turn carrying said movable block.

4. In a protective device for banks and the like having operating means at various stations throughout the bank, a device for releasing tear gas located in the bank and subject to operation by said operating means and comprising a container, a fixed block in said'container, a firing pin carried by and movable through said block, means controlled by said operating means for striking and moving said firing pin, a movable block having a cartridge chamber therein for fitting up against said'fixed block, means for movably carryingsgsaid movable block,

and a lug on said movable block for over- I lapping the fixed block in the closed posi tion of the movable block.

5. In a protective device for banks and the like having operating means at various stations throughout the bank, a device for releasing tear gas. located in the bank and subject to operation by said operating means and comprising a container, a partition therein dividing the container in the rear and front compartments, an electromagnet in the rear compartment, a core rod extending through and movable by said electromagnet and projecting into the front/compartment, yieldable means for retracting the core rod, a fixed block in the front com-- partment spaced from the partition, a yieldably pressed firing pin mounted in and -moving through said fixed block and projecting at one end from the block toward vthe partition and core rod, a tube extending between said partition and fixed block and enveloping the spaced and projecting ends of the core rod and firing pin, and a movable block having a firin chamber therein mounted forwardly of the fixed block.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signa ture. V MAURICE W. MGMULLEN. HARRY P. HANSEN. 

